Centre asks State to act against sex selection

Concerned over the dwindling sex ratio in the country, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda has urged the State Governments to initiate urgent action required to prevent misuse of medical technology for sex selection leading to female foeticides.Nadda has written a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in this regard, saying there are many parts in the country which continue to witness rising incidences of prenatal sex selection and consequent female foeticides.

Nadda has said the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme has been launched to address the issue of declining child sex ratio focusing on intervention and multi-sectoral action in 100 gender critical districts of the country in which besides other interventions, special focus would be laid on strict implementation of the Pre-Conception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) (PC & PNDT Act.

As the Supreme Court has issued instructions to strictly implement the PC and PNDT Act, the Union Government has urged the State Government to take immediate action for constitution of a State Supervisory Board for supervision and implementation of the Act.The State Government would make a special drive for registration and mapping of all machines and clinics while identifying the illegal machines and clinics. Formation of a State Inspection and Monitoring Committee (SIMC) and a District Inspection and Monitoring Committee (DIMC) would be undertaken and these committees would take follow-up actions.

The State Government has been asked to form Appropriate Authorities and Advisory Committees both at State and district levels to hold regular meetings and take follow-up action as per the Act.

Strengthening the PNDT Machinery and setting up separate PNDT Cell at State, district and sub-division levels for effective implementation of the PNDT Act have also been urged.Nadda has requested the State Government for capacity building and educating people of necessity of implementing the provisions of the Act.

He has urged the State Government to ensure that all genetic counselling  centres, genetic laboratories and genetic clinics, infertility clinics sand scan centres using preconception and prenatal diagnostic techniques and procedures should maintain all records and forms required to be maintained under the Act.